Of all the popular nut varieties, pistachios have the most iron, containing 14mg per 100g – nearly 4 times the amount of almonds, brazils or cashews. They are also a great source of protein, vitamin E, calcium and magnesium, making pistachios the ideal healthy snack.
Iron-Rich Foods
Heme iron is found in meat, fish and poultry. It is the form of iron that is most readily absorbed by your body. You absorb up to 30 percent of the heme iron that you consume. Eating meat generally boosts your iron levels far more than eating non-heme iron.
There is 0.3 mg of iron in one-third of a medium avocado. That's 2% of the daily value (DV) of iron. Nutrient-rich avocados contain nearly 20 vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. Learn more about the benefits of avocado here.
Berries – Berries are not a strong carrier of iron but they act as an active iron absorber. Strawberries, blueberries, cranberries or blackberries are all good sources of vitamin C. Consumption of any type of berries increases the absorption rate of non-heme iron. 100 grams of berries contain 0.3mg Iron.
You can quickly raise your iron levels by drinking iron-rich drinks like Aviva Romm's iron tonic, spinach-cashew-raspberry smoothie, pumpkin juice, mulberry smoothie, and Prune juice. Eating dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, broccoli, fish, meat, and fresh citrus fruits will also help raise your iron levels.
Avocado, strawberries, watermelon, raisins, dates, figs, prunes dried apricots, and dried peaches are iron-rich fruits.
Apples are known for their high iron content and vitamin C content, both of which are essential for preventing and reversing anemia. Anemia is a deficiency of hemoglobin in the blood, which can be fixed by increasing your intake of iron.
That's about five eggs every week, and for good reason too! Eggs have 1.89 mg of iron, which increases energy and boosts your immune system.
Carrots are high in iron, particularly non-heme iron, as well as a good source of vitamin C. In addition they have Vitamin A and beta-carotene.
Strawberries are the golden tier of iron-rich fruits, as not only do they contain iron but also Vitamin C which helps with the absorption of iron. They're rich in antioxidants, as well as containing good amounts of folate (Vitamin B9) and potassium which is also fantastic for natural energy.
Broccoli is a nutritious vegetable that is rich in fiber, vitamins C, vitamin K and iron. A one-cup serving of cooked broccoli has about one mg of iron, which is six percent of the required daily intake.
A medium apple contains . 31 milligrams of iron and a medium banana contains . 22 milligrams of iron, which each amount to less than 2 percent of the iron a woman needs to consume each day. The iron in apples and bananas is non-heme iron, and it won't be as well absorbed as heme iron from meat.
Peanut butter provides a moderate amount of iron. It can be a significant source of iron for people who follow a vegetarian diet or who eat modest amounts of meat. However, if plant foods are your only source of iron, you will need to consume almost twice as much food compared to people who eat meat.
Sweet potatoes have 2.5 mg of iron per half cup. They're also rich in vitamin C. To really boost your child's iron intake, serve sweet potatoes on the side of chicken, turkey, or steak.
Dark chocolate is rich in minerals, such as iron, magnesium, and zinc. The cocoa in dark chocolate also contains antioxidants called flavonoids, which may provide several health benefits. Chocolate comes from cacao, a plant with high levels of minerals and antioxidants.
Inhibitors of iron absorption include phytate, which is a compound found in plant-based diets that demonstrate a dose-dependent effect on iron absorption. Polyphenols are found in black and herbal tea, coffee, wine, legumes, cereals, fruit, and vegetables and have been demonstrated to inhibit iron absorption.